Tablas Creek Vineyard Cinsaut 2020

The Tablas Creek Vineyard 2020 Cinsaut is our second varietal bottling of this rare Chateauneuf-du-Pape grape, propagated from budwood cuttings from the Château de Beaucastel estate.

Cinsaut is the fourth-most-planted grape in Chateauneuf du Pape, after Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. On its own it is valued for its juicy liveliness, its red fruit, its relatively gentle tannins, and its low alcohol.

TASTING NOTES: A rich, exotic nose of ripe cherry, soy, forest floor, star anise, and chocolate. On the palate, flavors of cocoa powder, black plum, and smoky spice, with a creamy texture. This wine bridges the gap in mouthfeel between a ligher-bodied red like Counoise or Terret Noir and richer red grapes like Syrah or Mourvedre. The finish shows sweet earth and dark red fruit, kept in balance by a little tannic bite.